Railway Prizes
In December 1948, Hardington Railway Gang No. 7/11 won first prize in a track maintenance competition, a prestigious event designed to reward hard work and dedication. The gang was responsible for the section between Sutton Bingham and Crewkerne stations. The gang comprised Mr A. Brown of Misterton (in charge), Mr J. Berry of Hardington, Mr […]
Smiths, Smiths and Automobiles
Introduction This article is a micro-study of migration, focusing on the lives of Arthur and Kate Smith, a married couple who lived at West Coker and Hardington in the early twentieth century. Arthur’s childhood Arthur was born in Handsworth, a suburb of Birmingham, on 2 April 1880.[1] His father, Thomas Smith, the son of a […]
Bonnie Babies, John Mills and Tony Hancock
Yeovil Bonny Baby competition On Saturday, 19 July 1924, the Yeovil Liberal Association held a fete in the grounds of Inglemount, West Coker Road, the residence of Alderman Wreford John Charles Pittard.[1] Scheduled to run from four to ten, it included a host of fun attractions, including the Yeovil Cadet Band, maypole and country dances, […]
Prudence Purchase, war widow
On 16 August 1917, thirty-six-year-old Private Henry George Purchase, a member of the Lewis Gun Section of the 7th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, lost his life while on active duty in Belgium.[1] His wife, Prudence Ann Purchase, was left to raise their two young children, Prudence Doris and Albert George, alone at 324 […]
George Cheverton, the reckless publican
Introduction George Cheverton was a rogue and chancer who was often in court on charges of not paying his debts, drunkenness, or brawling. These incidents undoubtedly cast a shadow on his reputation. However, he managed to hold the position of landlord at various inns, including the Swan Inn, Misterton, from 1858 to 1869, the Quicksilver […]
Joseph Cole, Farrier to the Ninth Lancers
Early years Joseph Cole was born at Odcombe in about 1818.[1] His father, Samuel, had left Odcombe as a young man to work as a sawyer in Dorset.[2] While there, he met and married Elizabeth Minterne of Owermoigne.[3] They married at Bere Regis in 1814 and had their first child while living at Tolpuddle.[4] They […]
A White wedding
On Easter Monday, 28 March 1932, Muriel White, the daughter of Susan and the late Walter White, married Percival George Abbott at Hardington Church.[1] The wedding was a grand affair, with a full choral service, four bridesmaids, and a congregation that filled the church. The celebrations continued at the Royal Oak, courtesy of the bride’s […]
Brice Frost, the Delinquent Cyclist
At Yeovil magistrates court on 5 February 1924, Brice Frost of Moor Farm, Hardington, was accused of riding a bike without lights on 22 December. Brice wrote a letter apologising for his absence and explaining that this was his first offence. He said he was unemployed except for temporary postal work and that someone had […]
Nurse Rhodes, a dedicated healthcare professional
Introduction Joan Dorothy Rhodes’s life is distinguished by her pivotal role as the district nurse and midwife at West Coker Surgery from 1946 to 1976.[1] She played a critical part in providing community nursing at a time when the National Health Service transformed healthcare in this country. Birth in Little Eaton Joan was born two […]
Robbie White, farmer
Robbie White Robert William White was born on 8 November 1936, the second son of Sonny and Muriel White. Sonny took over the Royal Oak and 52 acres from his uncle, James Saint Partridge, in 1929 and was engaged in a ceaseless endeavour to grow and modernise the farm. As a young man, Robbie was […]